Will OSX support Adaptec PCI Express scsi cards in an early 2008 Mac Pro?

Question

Will OSX support Adaptec PCI Express scsi cards in an early 2008 Mac Pro?

I need to move my scsi interface scanner from a G4 machine and the old PCI Adaptec AHA 2930 CU card won't fit. I was using Snow Leopard on the G4 unit - it still supported the Adaptec card and all was good. My 23" Cinema display then bit the dust and I replaced it with with a 24" Cinema display with the mini display port connector. I purchased an adapter from Kanex to make it compatible, but the adapter was defective - so I returned it. Their reviews aren't very good - seem to have a lot of D.O.A. adapters - not sure I want to deal with the frustration, but it would be the least expensive option.

I do have, however, an early 2008 Mac Pro that I can use, provided that it supports the newer PCI Express scsi cards that Adaptec makes. I'm not sure which one to get yet, either. I'd rather not buy one and find out it won't work. I can make a partition on the boot drive for Snow Leopard in case scsi isn't supported in later versions of OSX. In case you're wondering, I did use a scsi to firewire adapter to run the scanner on my laptop for a while - but it stopped working and I can't locate any replacements (or the company - 2nd Wave Technologies - for that matter). I haven't tried locating a scsi to usb adapter, but from what I can see, they are getting pretty scarce. I'd replace the scanner, but it is fairly pricey and the newest model retails at the price of a small car - so that really isn't an option at this point.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Message was edited by: Jakob Richardt Changed name of display adapter manufacturer.

Posted on Nov 2, 2014 11:18 AM

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Answer 1

Nov 2, 2014 11:21 AM in response to Jakob Richardt

Something is not right about your story because a G4 Mac which has a PowerPC processor is not able to run Snow Leopard.

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Answer 2

Nov 2, 2014 11:24 AM in response to Jakob Richardt

.

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Answer 3

Nov 2, 2014 11:29 AM in response to Allan Eckert

Oops! - so I must have been running the previous iteration of OSX - was that Leopard? I know it was the last version of OSX that would work on a G4 machine.

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Answer 4

Nov 2, 2014 11:37 AM in response to Allan Eckert

The 'Express' in "Adaptec PCI Express" is a brand-name. It does not apply to the interface of that card, which is strictly a PCI Interface, and does not fit in any Mac after the G4 PowerMac towers.

In addition, Adaptec washed its hands of Macs before OS 9 (not ANY version of Mac OS X) had run its course. NO More support for Mac anything.

The cheapest SCSI card for Mac Pros costs over US$500. A new scanner can be had for about US$100. Time for a new scanner.

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Answer 5

Nov 2, 2014 1:30 PM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Thanks for the response - I guess the question I should have asked is "Will OSX support scsi cards in an early 2008 Mac Pro and if so, which ones?" I didn't realize Apple and Adaptec weren't working together - my G4 tower arrived with an Adaptec card in it when I bought it in 2000 (from a third party vendor, not directly from Apple). It came with either OS 8.* or OS 9. When I updated to OSX, everything continued working, so I didn't think much about it until I pondered using the Mac Pro for the scanner - at some point the G4 is going to stop working - need to have a solution before that happens. The manuals I've been reading refer to the slots in the G4 machines as PCI. The manual for the Mac Pro refers to the slots as PCI e. These slots have fewer connectors, so I thought that the "Express" part of the name referred to this particular card configuration when compared to the longer card connectors in the G4 type of machines.

Can you tell me what scsi card brands will work in the Mac Pro? I'd still like to pursue this option. As I mentioned in my original post, buying a new scanner isn't in the cards right now - it costs more than the computer, so, although pricey, the card option is still less expensive.

Thanks!

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Answer 6

Nov 2, 2014 1:38 PM in response to Jakob Richardt

Try http://www.scsi4me.com/atto-expresspci-ul5d-dual-channel-ultra320-pcie-scsi-host -adapter-rohs-compliant-card-only.html

They have a card for $339.

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Answer 7

macmartin

Level 3

507 points

Jan 29, 2015 6:51 AM in response to Allan Eckert

Does this card run under OS X 10.10 Server?

The latest driver that can be downloaded is for OS X 10.8.5.

I have this Card in a Mac Pro (Early 2009) running OS X 10.7 Server and want to upgrade to OS X 10.10 server.

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Answer 8

Jan 29, 2015 7:11 AM in response to macmartin

The UL5D cards were discontinued by the manufacturer in 2013.

If it works it works. If not, you are free to fix the Driver yourself.

Is this the technology you wish to base your Server and your Enterprise on?

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Answer 9

macmartin

Level 3

507 points

Jan 29, 2015 7:30 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

Well, its a small office and we have the card for our Tandberg tape drive which we use for backup.

I was able to install the driver on an iMac running os X 10.10 client but I can't test it on the MacPro Server before we do the upgrade.

Since it would be quite an investment to replace the tape drive I was wondering if anyone knows whether the driver runs under 10.10 or not.

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Answer 10

Jan 29, 2015 7:47 AM in response to macmartin

Server is so strongly based on Mac OS X client, that is only slightly more than an Application. If the card works on a client, it is extremely likely to work on Server of the same revision.

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Answer 11

macmartin

Level 3

507 points

Jan 29, 2015 7:49 AM in response to Grant Bennet-Alder

I could only test to install the driver on an iMac which doe not have the PCI interface with the Card in it.

On the MacPro is the UL5D card but I can not yet install OS X Yosemite in it.

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Answer 12

Jan 29, 2015 8:00 AM in response to macmartin

Perhaps when you intend to do the swich-over, you should set aside your existing Boot Drive and install 10.10 on a new drive. Then if it crashes, you can quickly go back to the old Boot drive and provide service while you re-group.

My experience doing a stretch upgrade like this was that my LDAP database was found to be flawed, and it would not automatically convert. I had to Export (under the old Server) and Import the Users and Groups. Passwords were unfortunately lost in the process.

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